Pope meets Cuban bishops, praises church's work despite 'limitations'
By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The many "difficulties and limitations" placed on
the Catholic Church in Cuba have not stopped it from growing and from
reaching out to help the poor and the sick, Pope Benedict XVI said.
"Continue carrying out a bold and generous effort of evangelization
which will bring the light of Christ to all spheres and places," the
pope told the bishops of Cuba May 2 at the end of their "ad limina"
visits, in which they reported on the status of their dioceses.
"At this moment in history, the church in your country is called to
offer the entire Cuban society the one true hope: Christ Our Lord,
victor over sin and death. This is the force that has kept Cuban
believers firmly on the path of faith and love," the pope said.
Archbishop Juan Garcia Rodriguez of Camaguey, president of the Cuban
bishops' conference, told the pope, "At this moment in Cuba there is
talk of changes which the people and the church greet with hope."
"We ask the Virgin of Charity that these changes would make Cuba a more
fraternal and peaceful land, guided by the principles of the common
good, subsidiarity, participation and solidarity and by the fundamental
values of truth, charity, justice and freedom," he said.
Raul Castro succeeded his brother, Fidel, as president of Cuba in
February. During nearly 50 years of rule by Fidel Castro, his government
began institutionally dismantling the church, nationalizing Catholic
schools and expelling priests. Church activity was restricted, church
programs were monitored, and Cubans were discouraged from attending
worship services, with churchgoers discriminated against when seeking
state and university employment. Some of those restrictions lessened
toward the end of Fidel Castro's rule, although a U.S. embargo against
Cuba remains in effect.
Archbishop Garcia also asked Pope Benedict to visit Cuba in 2012 to help
celebrate the 400th anniversary of Cuban devotion to Our Lady of
Charity. Tradition holds that a 15-inch statue of Mary identified as Our
Lady of Charity was found in 1612 in the Bay of Nipe; the statue is now
at a popular shrine in El Cobre.
"What great joy it would be for Cuba to be able to count on the presence
of the successor of Peter for the great celebration of the jubilee
year," he said. "The people desire this, ask for this, beg this of the
universal pastor, the father of all Catholics."
Pope Benedict did not respond publicly to the invitation, but he praised
the Cuban church for its fidelity, its unity and its commitment to
social service.
He asked the Cuban bishops to dedicate their best human and financial
resources to the training of priests and asked them to make marriage and
family life and the education of the laity their pastoral priorities.
"A committed laity, conscious of their vocation and mission in the
church and in the world," can be formed only if they have help in
learning to pray, understanding the basics of Christian faith and
embracing the social teaching of the church, the pope said.
Pope Benedict said he supported the Cuban bishops' efforts to secure a
voice in the world of the media, and he expressed particular concern for
families torn apart by divorce or by migration.
In an interview with the Vatican newspaper, Archbishop Garcia said,
"Despite many years of silence about God, in Cuba there is a growing
religious thirst and an ever-increasing devotion, especially to Our Lady
of Charity, the patron of the country."
He told L'Osservatore Romano that a new wave of evangelization has begun
among Cuba's children and "now they are evangelizing their parents and
grandparents."
Groups of teens and young adults, he said in the interview published May
1, are "living the commandments and the beatitudes despite being mocked
and marginalized."
Archbishop Garcia said the Cuban bishops wanted to explain to Pope
Benedict "our healthy pride in the people who have remained faithful to
Christ and his church throughout the long years in which they were
criticized" for believing.
"The Cuban church is a small and fragile flock. But at the same time, it
is faithful, open, serving, joyful and happy to live its faith and
proclaim it," the archbishop said.
"In our churches, you find Catholics and potential Catholics, people who
follow popular religions and syncretistic believers, as well as diverse
political opinions," he said. "The church welcomes them as a mother and
guides them on the path toward Jesus Christ, prince of peace and teacher
of truth."
Archbishop Garcia said the Catholic Church in Cuba suffers from a
serious lack of priests; the nation has about 11 million residents, but
only about 340 priests.
"It is clear that the harvest is plenty but the laborers are few," he
said. "Yet the thirst for God continues to grow."
Archbishop Garcia also said that since the late 1980s, when the
government began allowing Catholic pastoral workers to visit prisoners,
the church's prison ministry has grown enormously.
He said he continues to hope that the government will approve the
church's request to be allowed to celebrate Mass in the prisons for
Christmas, Holy Week and during the novena of preparation for the feast
of Our Lady of Charity.
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